Furniture

Every piece of furniture has a practical purpose regardless of how simple or grand it is, even if some pieces were built more for display than function. Today, furniture remains one of the largest areas of the antiques market and items are categorised by type and period.

The term brown furniture refers to traditional pieces made from dark woods such as mahogany, while pieces made from native woods like oak and walnut are sometimes referred to as vernacular furniture.

Famous historical makers include Chippendale, Gillows, William Vile and John Cobb. More recent market trends have seen modern vintage pieces appearing in specialist design and ‘Interior’ auctions.

img_54-2.jpg

Variety of homewares prove popular at Vintage Home Show

20 May 2024

Organiser of a series of shows says curation means traders are offering a wide range of items

Templum Casket 1 2643 Webpv 14 05 24

Damascened casket linked to Henry VIII’s metalworker comes to auction in Barcelona

14 May 2024

Iron and gold inlayed casket depicting sieges of Boulogne sur Mer is attributed to court gunsmith and armourer Diego de Çaias.

Mouseman oak dining table

Furniture given by Mouseman to his daughter emerges at auction

11 May 2024

Elements of a collection of ‘Mouseman’ furniture made for the daughter of Robert Thompson (1876 -1955) himself have come for sale in Yorkshire this month.

Home Bothy's stand

Battersea Decorative fair welcomes celebrity shoppers and weathers train strike woes

10 May 2024

The first day of the Battersea Decorative Fair is always a place to celebrity spot as well as see a comprehensive range of art and antiques.

img_56-1.jpg

Reclamation and antiques dealer joins up with Norwich department store

06 May 2024

An owner of reclamation centre has set up shop at the invitation of a renowned Norwich retailer.

img_40-1.jpg

Simply the chest at Petworth

06 May 2024

Practical campaign furniture is one of the stars as West Sussex event reaches its 10th anniversary

img_12-1.jpg

Horology holds the attention during a four-day sale

06 May 2024

Around 200 lots of clocks and watches feature in a strong section as part of a four-day sale

The Salon, Geneva

Christie’s offers select items from a group of dealers from London, Paris and Geneva

03 May 2024

Dubbed Three Dealing Dynasties, the sale features nearly 250 works of art collected by three anonymous families of dealers in the UK, France and Switzerland.

img_15-1.jpg

Ornate mirror has the Thomas Johnson look about it

29 April 2024

The furniture highlight of Cheffins’ (25/20/12.5% buyer’s premium) latest Fine sale in Cambridge was the catalogue cover star.

img_15-2.jpg

Davenport displays Irish touch

29 April 2024

Irish marquetry furniture is a very distinctive form of decorative technique associated in particular with Killarney.

img_81-3.jpg

Obituary: furniture restorer Michael Barrington

29 April 2024

Michael Barrington was the driving force behind the British Antique Furniture Restorers’ Association (BAFRA) since he was elected its chairman in 1994 and then chief executive officer until 2014.

img_54-1.jpg

Light Ponti armchairs carry weighty auction value

29 April 2024

Among the starring lots at the Wright (26% buyer’s premium) Design sale on March 28 was a pair of Gio Ponti lacquered wood, upholstery and brass Triennale armchairs, dating to 1951.

img_15-3.jpg

Seat coverings come with Scottish family connection

29 April 2024

Pictured here are two lots of seat furniture that impressed bidders in recent auctions in Gloucestershire and Cheshire.

img_14-1.jpg

Furniture loaned to National Trust properties goes under the hammer

29 April 2024

Many items from a group on offer in west London had been displayed at National Trust sites

Sideboard designed by Francis Bacon

Short-lived Francis Bacon furniture finds modern-day fans

22 April 2024

One of the lesser-known episodes in the long and eventful life of Francis Bacon lasted little more than five years and was later dismissed by the artist as unimportant.

Most Read.jpg

Top stories this week including a sought-after mahogany table taking 13-times estimate in Dorset

21 April 2024

The most viewed stories on this website over the last week included news of an Edwardian Japanesque Aesthetic table soaring over predictions at Duke’s.

img_31-6.jpg

A breakfront cabinet by George Bullock is among seven lots to watch

15 April 2024

With estimates from £200, here are seven previews of items coming up at auction this week.

img_35-5.jpg

Five questions with Bob Aibel of Moderne

15 April 2024

Bob Aibel is founder of Moderne, one of the exhibitors at the Philadelphia Show

img_19-3.jpg

Steaming ahead but in safety thanks to lanterns

15 April 2024

Although easily mistaken for railway or ship lamps, this pair of brass and iron lanterns were made for a road locomotive: the steam-driven traction engines that were some of the first powered vehicles to travel on Britain’s highways.

img_15-1.jpg

Botanical group features in Battle auction action

15 April 2024

Twenty-six lots in the Science, Natural History and Curiosities sale at Burstow & Hewett (20% buyer’s premium) in Battle were previously owned by local botanist and entomologist George West.

Categories

News